Folly Embraced

With my hardback edition of Recollections of Life on the Prison Ship Jersey clutched excitedly to my chest, I am ready to meet Thursday with the feverish gusto of a researcher too long from the tomes.

I am a rather silly human being, I know.

Oh well, I am determined to embrace my eccentricities. Perhaps a few of them will even payoff on my first full-body dip into mainstream romance?

The voracious hunger of a “I want to know it ALL!” should give me a leg-up on some of the competition… Right?

If it hasn’t come to your attention yet, I am trying very hard to defend this researching jaunt. I should be writing, but bowing to a little folly in your work shouldn’t be an altogether bad thing. Especially if said-folly could add a bit of colonial-era sparkle to the tale. (Can a 100k novel even be called a tale? Hmm, something to ponder between dusty tomes)

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Focusing That Viewfinder

Still perched on the stoop awaiting my care package of research goodies, I am happily humming to the news that the Cubs have landed free agent Jon Lester. (This is after a late night happy dance in my bedroom that included fist pumps and fangirl giggles.)

But as I doubt many of you have dropped by to hear the Shakespearian tale of the Chicago Cubs, I will now veer the conversation back toward writing. (Whether this is an improvement or not, I leave to your judgment.)

Crafting a historical novel is one thing, actually writing it is another.

I thought setting up a logical, entertaining chain of events that would buckle and climax at the appropriate times for a 100k novel would be the truly hard part.

Wrong.

Writing it has been the real bear.

Now, as the holidays have arrived and writing schedules have been scattered to the winds, I’ve had time to strategize a little on how to move forward more efficiently with the Six Brothers project.

With all the historical depth and richness available about the years of the American Revolution, I have decided to concentrate the novel’s historical core on the prisoners of war. Accuracy in this department will be key, crucial and demanding. However, by focusing it all in one area, I hope to be able to move more quickly through the actual writing of the novel while still retaining its all-important historical feel.

Let’s be frank. People and their relationships to each other haven’t changed drastically through the years. Love, hate, jealousy, generosity, faith and forgiveness are all the same, just expressed through different methods. I’ve got a ton of experience writing these emotions, so they will flow rather easily from me. The trap I’ve fall into is one of obsessive historical accuracy on all fronts, in all nooks and crannies of the book.

An impossible goal to reach.

At least for me.

So, the bulk of my detailed historical efforts will now lie with the prisoners of war. Hopefully, this strategy will limit this research nut’s OCD tendencies to more manageable levels.

Hopefully.

We’ll see.

And here end today’s rambling lecture.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Color Me Plaid

In a move that will surely flaunt my most geeky attributes, I ordered 3 books from Amazon yesterday about American Revolution Prisoners of War.

Since I am writing a novel centered around the fallout one family faces when one of their own is captured in battle and imprisoned on the infamous “Jersey,” purchasing such resources is understandable and not entirely “geeky” on its own.

However…

The level of excitement pumping through my veins as I await the books’ arrivals is truly geeky. Nerdy, even. Dare I say, dorky?

Oh yeah, that’s a big yeppers for all three supposedly less than sparkling attributes.

Color me plaid, boys.

However…

I kind of like plaid.

A little geekiness never hurt anybody with half a brain cell in their head, so I can deal.

And being somewhat of a nerd is nearly a prerequisite for writing an historical novel.

The “dork” bit I could do without but I’ve been called far worse in my day.

So, here your blogger sits anxiously awaiting the mail, sporting a grin of simply ridiculous wattage… but pity me not, dear friends. I wear my plaid proudly.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

SIDE NOTE: I’m an old timer who likes her books wearing paper and ink.